BMW recently upset many of its customers by pushing promotional material for the new film Spider-Man: Brand New Day directly to in-car dashboard screens. When drivers start up the vehicle, a notification pops up on the center display. Tapping this alert triggers a 19-second video complete with a custom light show and background music. The carmaker insists this is a fun treat, but drivers feel differently.
Drivers call the pop-up screens tacky for expensive vehicles
The promotional push began on July 27 and will run until August 10. It shows up in cars built after July 2020 running BMW Operating System 7 or newer across more than 70 markets. People took to Reddit to express anger over the situation. Drivers called the popup classless and tacky for a vehicle that can cost over $100,000.
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Some users asked for a way to permanently opt out of the screen. Others compared the situation to the time Apple forced a U2 album into iTunes libraries back in 2014 without asking permission. To avoid seeing the movie clip right now, drivers just have to ignore the notification. The video only plays if someone actively taps the alert.
“To celebrate the partnership with Spider-ManTM: Brand New Day, BMW has a special surprise for its drivers. […] Starting the car brings up a special banner in the Control Display. Clicking on it then activates the Spider-ManTM animation, comprising a full-screen festive animation in the Control Display with aptly chosen backing music and an accompanying light show courtesy of the ambient lighting system.”
The carmaker claims the short video clip is not a commercial
BMW released a statement framing the dashboard video as a special surprise for its drivers to celebrate a brand partnership. The company has its own cars featured in the new Spider-Man movie. Representatives told reporters the video is not a commercial, though drivers see little difference. This move surprised many because in late 2023, the brand stated it would not sell advertising space on its dashboard displays.
While the automaker has pushed animated videos for holidays before, drivers feel this movie tie-in crosses a line. The situation highlights a growing tension between car buyers and brands that want to keep pushing digital content after a vehicle leaves the lot.
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